Trump Takes The Stand

In the ongoing civil trial against him, former President Donald J. Trump testified in his defense on Thursday in response to E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit.

The case originated from Carroll's accusation that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. Trump's testimony, which lasted less than five minutes, saw his lawyer, Alina Habba, questioning whether he stood by his previous statements, branding Carroll a liar.

Without hesitation, Trump affirmed his stance, stating, "100 percent, yes," and emphasized that he considered Carroll's accusation a false claim.

The judge struck down Trump's second statement, and when asked if he intended to harm Carroll, he responded in the negative, expressing his desire to defend himself, his family, and the presidency.

Following Trump's brief testimony, the defense swiftly rested its case. The central issue facing the nine-member civil jury revolves around determining the amount of money, if any, that Trump must pay Carroll in damages for defaming her in June 2019.

This was after she publicly accused him in a New York Magazine book excerpt. Carroll had already won a civil verdict over her assault claim.

During the subsequent cross-examination, Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, kept her questioning concise. She inquired whether this was Trump's first trial where Carroll was the plaintiff, to which he confirmed.

An objection from the defense was raised when Kaplan asked if Trump followed counsel advice from the last trial.

Trump's testimony followed Judge Lewis A. Kaplan's inquiries to Trump's lawyer to ensure he adhered to the case's scope. Trump expressed discontent with these limitations, asserting before the jury entered the courtroom that he had never met the woman and did not know who she was.

While Trump appeared calm during his brief testimony, he vocalized his dissatisfaction after the judge dismissed the jury, stating, "This is not America."

In the ongoing trial, Carroll, 80, is seeking a minimum of $10 million in damages and punitive measures to prevent the 77-year-old Trump from further defaming her across various platforms.

The trial, initiated on January 16, faced a temporary halt on Monday due to a juror reporting flu-like symptoms and undergoing a Covid test.